Mayor Mike McGinn will join community celebration sponsored by the Eastlake Community Council, Wards Cove on Lake Union, and the Eastlake P-Patch
A dramatic "make-over" along the 2800 block of Fairview Avenue East (Google Map) on the north east side of Lake Union near the Hamlin Street intersection includes access to a new beach, shoreline restoration and a lushly landscaped "green street," with a wide and meandering new sidewalk. Coincidentally, the Eastlake P-Patch across the street has expanded, creating space for 24 new garden plots.
Both of these neighborhood amenities will be celebrated on Saturday, August 14th from 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn will join the festivities at 2:30 for two back-to-back ribbon cuttings at the beach and at the P-Patch.
The new beach is part of a larger redevelopment effort, led by Wards Cove Packing Company (Wards Cove), the long time Seattle-based and family-owned fishing company. When Wards Cove ended their salmon fishing business several years ago, they no longer needed their Lake Union facilities for wintertime fishing boat storage and repairs. Wards Cove on Lake Union now includes commercial office spaces, a marina and the last new houseboat community ever in Seattle (the city is expected to pass stringent new shoreline regulations mandated by the state and precluding the creation of new houseboats sites.) This stretch of Fairview is also part of the City of Seattle's Cheshiahud Lake Union Loop trail around Lake Union.
The redevelopment includes significant restoration to the shoreline and beach (open to the public), new ADA-accessible pathways designed for walkability, and natural landscaping that is both beautiful and practical, with bioswales that slow and clean storm water run-off. Meanwhile, with the help of Seattle's Neighborhood Matching Fund and thousands of volunteer hours, the Eastlake P-Patch has expanded to help meet the strong demand for urban farming plots.
Wards Cove on Lake Union, the Eastlake Community Council, and the Eastlake P-Patch are jointly hosting the community celebration. It will include the return of Eastlake's historic "walking fish" themed art, with neighbors, businesses and local non-profits invited to pick up one of the undecorated plywood walking fish cut-outs and decorate it for the community celebration. Ten walking fish are available for the contest and will be displayed at the event on Aug. 14th, with attendees voting on the winner. The winner receives a $100 gift certificate to the Eastlake business of their choice. For details on participating in the contest, please call Kathleen at 206.789.5668.
The celebration includes a pet parade (gather at 12:30 p.m. in the Washington Employers parking lot at 2940 Fairview Avenue East). There will also be live music, non-profit educational booths, antique cars and trucks, P-Patch tours and a display of the history of Wards Cove Packing Company. In addition, a new essay on the history of houseboats in Seattle written by History Link will be available. Community residents are invited to bring their own picnic lunches or purchase food at the event.
About Wards Cove Packing Company
Developer of Wards Cove on Lake Union, Wards Cove Packing Company is a privately held entity founded in 1928 in Ketchikan, Alaska which established its corporate headquarters in Seattle in 1959. The company still operates a facility at its Fairview Avenue location on the eastern shore of Lake Union. This property served for decades as a support base for Wards Cove Packing Company's salmon operation. In 2002, when the company decided to exit the Alaskan salmon industry, the land became available for other uses. Due to the company's historic ties to the area and the community, Wards Cove Packing Company decided to develop a mixed-use project to enhance the value of its waterfront property and to create a unique and lasting asset for the community.
About the Eastlake Community Council
Founded in 1971, the Eastlake Community Council is a neighborhood organization whose official purposes include "to foster and encourage a sense of community among people who live and work in the Eastlake community," and "to maximize public use and enjoyment of the inland waters and shorelines adjoining the Eastlake community." For more information, visit www.eastlakeseattle.org.
About the Eastlake P-Patch
The Eastlake P-Patch, like the other P-Patches in the city, is part of Seattle's Department of Neighborhoods but is organized and run by volunteers. It began in 1980 when a committed Eastlake resident took the initiative and brought ten families together for the initial work. Over the years, volunteer gardeners have improved the garden and been instrumental in development of the adjacent park. In 2009 an ambitious program was undertaken to expand the number of sites from 26 to 50 on the steep slope above the existing garden. Volunteers have contributed sweat equity and obtained materials and financing over the last year to make this expansion a reality. Other City departments that have supported these efforts include Department of Transportation and Parks Department. The P-Patch Trust is the fiduciary agent for the P-Patch.
Kathleen Warren is with PARSONS PUBLIC RELATIONS, Kathleen@parsonspr.com.